“What is this thing called FUNK?”
The darkness evoked by a deep bass groove shifted consciousness in the 1970's. Shifting of consciousness was the signature mark of the times and the music one listened to was an indicator, as revealing as the books one read, and the writings one studied, of who you were. Most of the cats I hung out with knew their intellectual curiosity was the indicator women were going to hone in on once they got close to listen to your rap.
Funk, black music in general, had its followers who ranged from stone heads to people driven by the social issues of the time, the constant demands on deepening one's hold on life, and the ability to pull you into your funky, dirty down to the bone “Can you dig this? I am Black, Intelligent, and I'm down wit it” vibe. Original design of African music tied, and connected the aspects of Being, the elements of Earth, and the spiritual rythmns in the higher realms of existence, and when African music became funk we empowered every race, and class of people with so much power and gave access to higher realms of creativity to all. Black Music is a deep thing. Say it ain't so. -Gregory E. Woods, Keeper of Stories (12/08/09)
eryka badu, funk mistress
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